Redondo girls earn top seed in CIF Division 1AA basketball playoffs
Lauren Tsuneishi and the Redondo Sea Hawks begin their drive for a CIF title after earning the top seed in CIf-SS Division 1AA. Photo
Despite dropping its final game of the regular season, Redondo’s girls basketball team was given the No. 1 seed in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1AA playoffs earning a first-round bye when the playoffs begin on Thursday.
Redondo (16-9) will host the winner of the Oak Hills-Centennial/Corona game in the second round Saturday. Quarterfinal action takes place Wednesday. All games with the exception of the finals are slated to tipoff at 7 p.m.
The Sea Hawks were forced to share the Bay League crown when rival Mira Costa upset the hosts 44-41. Allie Navarette finished with 18 points for the Mustangs, nailing 10 of her 12 free throws in the fourth quarter providing another highlight to what has been a memorable season for the senior.
Earlier in the year, Navarette passed the 1,500 point mark in her prep career.
“Beating Redondo as a senior was such a great feeling, especially knowing it was their senior night and we were at their gym. I know I will truly never forget that night,” Navarette said. “I just kept thinking I have been practicing for four years for this moment. I have been sacrificing holidays, family trips, weekends and pretty much anything else to devote my life to basketball so I knew two free throws at the line was something I could hit.”
Mira Costa (19-8) hosts Edison ((15-11) in the first round of Division 1A competition with the winner facing the Valley View-Kennedy victor on Saturday.
Also in Division 1AA, Pioneer League champion West Torrance (16-9) drew a bye and will take on the Canyon/Anaheim-Valencia/Valencia winner in the second round. North Torrance (19-7) travels to Vista Murrieta (17-6) in the first round.
Joining Mira Costa in Division 1A action will be fourth-seeded Bishop Montgomery (16-9) who will host South Torrance (13-12) on Thursday.
In Division 2A, Ocean League champion Lawndale (17-9) hosts Carter (14-10), Torrance (12-12) plays at Rio Mesa (13-13) and Leuzinger (18-10 travels to Mayfair (16-9).
In Division 3AA, the Bay League’s third-place team Palos Verdes (18-9) is seeded No. 3 seed and hosts Diamond Ranch (13-12) in the opening round.
Vistamar (10-7) defeated Waverly 35-20 in its Division 6 wild-card game and will play at No. 3 Carnegie/Riverside (13-3) on Thursday.
For brackets and results, visit cifss.org.